Baking with Sweet'N Low Sugar Substitute

Rarely can the volume of sugar in a recipe be substituted with an equal amount of sugar substitute. And there are often troubles when trying to duplicate the chemical properties of sugar that make baked goods turn golden brown, rise properly and be moist. Here we’ll look at some challenges, solutions, and tips for using Sweet'N Low (the brand name for saccharin) when baking.

How Does Sweet'N Low (Saccharin) Perform When Baked?

Saccharin is a stable sugar substitute that does not lose its sweetness when baked -- much different than aspartame whose sweetness is not able to withstand higher temperatures.

While saccharin's sweetness does hold up to high temperatures, it does not provide the same volume, moisture, or browning as sugar.

Using a 1-to-1 ratio for substituting saccharin for sugar is difficult because saccharin is 300 to 500 times sweeter than sugar. As a result, using a small amount of saccharin for a relatively large amount of sugar can leave some recipes out of balance. Often when baking with saccharin, it’s suggested to keep half of the sugar in a recipe and substitute saccharin for the other half. This helps reduce the overall sugar content while better maintaining the volume, moisture, and browning.

Substituting All of the Sugar with Saccharin

When substituting saccharin for all of the sugar in a recipe, it is best substituted in recipes that already have natural sugars (e.g., cobblers, pies, and other baked goods with fruits) as the naturally occurring sugars can help balance the moisture content.

If you’re looking to bake cakes, muffins, and cookies entirely with saccharin, stick to recipes that are already designed for this and do not substitute the saccharin for sugar in other recipes. If you’re looking for semi-homemade, try Sweet‘N Low baking mixes. To help achieve caramelization, try spraying the top of cakes, muffins, and cookies with vegetable oil cooking spray.​

As a rule of thumb, when looking to substitute in recipes choosing a 1-to-1 sugar to sugar substitute can be much easier. For less finicky substitutions, try baking with granulated sucralose instead.

Saccharin Substituting Chart

For those who are committed to using saccharin or need to use up what is in the pantry before investing in granulated sucralose (Splenda) or another sweetener, use this saccharin substitution chart:

1/4 cup sugar = 2 teaspoons granulated saccharin

1/3 cup sugar = 2 1/2 teaspoons granulated saccharin

1/2 cup sugar = 4 teaspoons granulated saccharin

1 cup sugar = 8 teaspoons granulated saccharin

A Safety Note About Saccharin

If you were not already aware, in 2000, Congress passed a bill to remove the saccharin warning label from Sweet'N Low.

"We are extremely gratified that Congress has passed legislation to remove the saccharin warning label on Sweet'N Low. This announcement supports what we have known all along: saccharin is safe for human consumption," said Marvin Eisenstadt, president of Cumberland Packing Corp., the manufacturer of Sweet'N Low. "This Congressional action based on careful review of extensive scientific evidence will confirm consumers' confidence in Sweet'N Low, a product they have trusted for more than 40 years," he added.